Review of sustainability measures for 1 October 2018

Update – 19 September 2018

Following consultation, the Minister of Fisheries has made decisions on sustainability measures for 32 selected fish stocks for the 2018/19 fishing year, beginning 1 October 2018. This includes decisions relating to total allowable catches (TACs), non-commercial allowances, total allowable commercial catches (TACCs), deemed values, and the closure of the Kaipara Harbour recreational scallop fishery.

The Minister's decision letter provides the details of, and reasons for, each of his decisions. Download the:

Related consultation

What's being proposed?

Reviews of catch limits and other management controls for selected stocks are undertaken annually. This is consistent with the requirement that Fisheries New Zealand ensure the sustainable utilisation of fisheries resources.

The proposals for each stock were assessed in the context of the relevant statutory requirements and the best available information, including (where relevant) the latest scientific information on the status of the stocks, and tangata whenua and stakeholder input.

Full details are in the consultation documents. A summary of proposals is provided in the table below.

Area

Change

Proposal summary

Southern bluefin tuna in all New Zealand waters (STN 1)

↑

Increase in catch limit proposed. Best available information suggests an increase in abundance.

Northwest North Island green-lipped mussel (GLM 9)

Varies

Changes are proposed to the way that harvested mussel-spat, which is the largest source of fishing in GLM 9, is measured and reported. A review of catch limits is also being undertaken to consider whether to provide for increased catches in the spat fishery in response to increasing demand.

Kaipara Harbour scallops

Closure

A closure of the Kaipara Harbour recreational scallop fishery is proposed under section 11 of the Fisheries Act 1996. Best available information suggests a sustainability concern.

Northern North Island flatfish (FLA 1)

↓

Decrease proposed. Best available information suggests a sustainability concern.

Northern North Island John Dory (JDO 1)

↓

Decrease proposed. Best available information suggests a sustainability concern.

East coast North Island and South Island tarakihi (TAR 1, 2, 3, & 7)

↓

Decrease proposed to support a rebuild of this fishery. These tarakihi stocks are managed as one stock unit, and best available information suggests a sustainability concern

East coast South Island kingfish (KIN 3)

↑

Increase proposed. Best available information suggests an increase in abundance.

East coast South Island elephant fish (ELE 3)

↑

Increase proposed. Best available information suggests an increase in abundance.

East coast South Island red gurnard (GUR 3)

↑

Increase proposed. Best available information suggests an increase in abundance.

East coast South Island scampi (SCI 3)

↑

Increase proposed. Best available information suggests an increase in abundance.

Chatham Rise orange roughy (ORH 3B)

↑

Increase proposed. Best available information suggests an increase in abundance in 2 orange roughy sub-stocks: Northwest Chatham Rise, and East and South Chatham Rise.

Chatham Rise oreo (OEO 4)

↑

Increase proposed. Best available information suggests an increase in abundance.

West coast South Island John Dory (JDO 7)

↑

Increase proposed. Best available information suggests an increase in abundance.

West coast South Island rig (SPO 7)

↑

Increase proposed. Best available information suggests an increase in abundance.

Southern ling (LIN 5)

↑

Increase proposed. Best available information suggests an increase in abundance.

Stewart Island pāua (PAU 5B)

↑

Increase proposed. Best available information suggests an increase in abundance.

Deemed value rate reviews are proposed for:

Northeast North Island trevally (TRE 1)

Northern North Island flatfish (FLA 1)

Northern North Island John Dory (JDO 1)

East coast North Island and South Island tarakihi (TAR 1, 2, 3, & 7)

East coast and southern South Island bluenose (BNS 3)

East coast and southern South Island gemfish (SKI 3)

West coast South Island gemfish (SKI 7)

West coast South Island John Dory (JDO 7)

West coast South Island pilchard (PIL 7)

West coast North Island pilchard (PIL 8)

Making your submission

Consultation closed at 5pm on 27 July 2018.

Submissions are public information

Note, that any submission you make becomes public information. People can ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we have to make submissions available unless we have a good reason for withholding them (refer to sections 6 and 9 of the OIA).

Tell us if you think there are grounds to withhold specific information in your submission. Reasons might include that it's commercially sensitive or it's personal information. However, any decision Fisheries New Zealand makes to withhold information can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may tell us to release it.